210k medical card applications cancelled because people failed to provide documentation in time

More than 210,000 medical card applications have been cancelled since 2016 because people failed to provide relevant documentation in time.

The HSE made the determinations on 210,600 cases, based on the fact that their applicants had not supplied the requisite information within a reasonable time period.

In 2016, 58,122 applications were refused on these grounds, 68,767 in 2017, 64,817 in 2018 and from January 2019, to July of this year 18,894 applications have been refused.

The HSE provided the figures to Fianna Fáil TD and chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Seán Fleming, based on a parliamentary question he had sent to the Minister of Health Simon Harris.

The HSE said the 210,600 applications were cancelled because a "decision outcome could not be based on a comprehensive assessment of eligibility, arising from the failure to furnish appropriate documentations/material within a reasonable timeframe".

These applications related to Medical Card/GP Visit Card applications, both from new applicants and from those with cards seeking to have a soon-to-be-expired card reviewed and then hopefully renewed.

Deputy Fleming alleged that he has come across several cases where submitted documents were never received by the HSE.

I have come across many cases where applicants who have submitted the required documentation, are contacted some weeks later requesting the documentation again, with the HSE claiming they never received it

"Shockingly, I have seen people submit the documentation two and three times, and the HSE often say they have still not received it," he said.

He then queried if the system was set up to deter people from applying for cards.

"It’s very frustrating and makes people question whether the system is designed to make them abandon their application," said Deputy Fleming.